Adjustable-back chair, etc.



April 29. 1930. c. R. HULTGREN 1,756,644

ADJUSTABL BACK CHAIR, ETC

Filed Dec. 29 ,7 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .N' w w N x00 N April 29, 1930.c. R. HULTGREN ADJUSTABLE BACK CHAIR, ETC

2 sheets-sheet- 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1926 Patented A m 193d,

UNITED srATEs PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. nurreann, or cnrcaeo,rumorsyassrenor. re s. xanrnn a naps; or I CHICAGO, rumors, Aconronarron or wnsr VIRGINIA c ADJUSTABLE-BACK CHAIR, ETC.

Application filed December 20,1926. Serial No."155,9:21.

This invention relates particularly to ad- 7 justable-back chairs, orthe like; and the primary object is to provide an article of thischaracter with improved adjusting means for the back.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as embodied ina seat, or chair, adapted to be used automobiles, motor busses, etc. Itis to be understood, however, that the invention 'is applicable,generally, to chairs, or seats, provided with adjustable backs. In thedrawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of. a chair constructed inaccordance with the invention; Fig. 2, a rear elevatio'nal view of thesame; Fig. 3,a sectional view taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig.2;Fig. 4, an enlarged broken sectional view taken as indicated at line4-4 of Fig. 5 and showing the hingeconnections between the adjustableback and the chair-body and showing'also a portion of the co-acting camdevice; and Fig. 5, a section taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig.4.

In the illustration given, A'designates the frame of the chair; B, apivotally mounted back; 0, a cam device co-acting with the pivot-membersof the back; and D, a camreleasing device.

The frame A may be of any suitable construction. In the illustrationgiven, it comprises a seat-frame 1 mounted on front legs 2 and rear,legs 3. The seat-frame is shown as supporting a cushion 4.

The back B may be of any suitable construction. In the illustrationgiven, it is shown as comprising atubular U-shaped frame-member 5 whosearms are equipped at their lower extremities with barrel-shapedivot-members 5, and a cushion 5 secured by the frame 5 in any suitablemanner. f

' The rear legs 3 of the chair frame pref-' erably are provided withupward extensions 3 which afiord supports for pivot-pins 6. The barrel5, i n.each case, is open at its outer side, and the free edge of theperipheral wall of the barrel bears against the inner surface of theplate-like extension 3. The' peripheral portion, or flange, of thememher 5" is provided with a lug 7 which eng swinging asegmental slot 8with which the upper edgeof the supporting member 3 is provided. 7

Within the barrel 5 and forming a closure for its open outer side is adisk 9 equipped with a peripheral flange 9 which affords a bearing forthe inner surface of the peripheral portion of the barrel 5 The disk 9is disposed adjacent the extension 3 and is secured thereto by a rivet10 which has an extension 10 extending into the barrel. This extensionserves as a stud with which is connected one end of a coil-spring 11which extends about a pulley 12 mounted-on the pivot 1 6. The springextends into the hollow arm of-the back-frame 5, and is secured by meansof a stud 13. It will be understood that the construction describedpreferably is duplicated at the two points of pivotal connection betweenthe chair-back and the mainframe.

The eccentric device C serves as a locking. device forthe chair-back.The device preferably comprises a cam-disk 14' associated with each ofthe barrel-like pivot-members 5 of the chair-back, these disks beingeccentrically mounted upon pivot-studs 14; carried by the rear legs 3'of the chair-frame; arms 14 depending from the eccentric disks; and across-rod 14 connecting the lower extremities of the arms. In effect,the'eccentric disks constitute the end-portions of the arms of a yoke.The peripheral surfaces of the disks preferably are knurled, asindicated in Fig. 5. The eccentrics are held in position with theperipheral surfaces of the plvot-barrels 5 by means of springs 15 whichextend rearwardly from the arms and are connected with the chair-1efeeted by meansof a lever 16 which is pivotally connected at 16 with oneof the rear chair-legs. This lever is shown of angular form, and isprovided atthe elbow-portion witha stud.16" which engages the-adjacent 3Thus, the'springs tend to' ro- Y tate the eccentric disks in a directionto rip V I from the arm 14*. The forwardly turned extremity of ,thelever has connected therewith -a rod 16 which .is slidable through aneye 17 attached v to one. of the arms 18 with which the chairframe isequipped. The upper end of the rod '16 terminates in a ring 16 which isconvenientlylocated near the front portion of the chair-arm. a

The operation will be readily understood.

' The eccentrics '14 are normally held in gripping engagement withthepivot-barrels 5" of thechair-back, as shown in Fig; 3. Any j backwardpressure upon the chair-back tends to rotate the eccentric diskscounterc1ockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, thus increasing the forwardly inthe chair,'even without the necessity of operating the release device.On the other hand, the springs may be of suitable tension to effect theforward swing of the chair.- back only upon release of the eccentricdisks so through the medium of the releasing device D. In any event, thedevice 1) affords a means ofefl'ecting positive release of the eccentricdisks, ifdesired, or necessary. The

chairsback maybe swung forwardly by exerting a small forward pressure atthe upper end of the back, even without the use of the springs 11 andwithout the use" of the releasedevice D. On the other hand, any rearwardpressure upon the chair-back when the eccentric disks are in grippingengagement with the members 5 serves only to increase the grippingeffect and prevent the rearward;

swing of the chair-'back.-. It will be seen, therefore, that when thechair-back is to be swung rearwardly, this can be eifected only afteroperating the releasing device D so that the eccentric disks will beheld out'of grippin engagement durin the rearward swing of t e back.The-stopugs 7 working in the fio 'segmental slots 8 permitsuch'movements of v the back as are desirable, but prevent undue moveent of the back. p

- i The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only,"an no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, but the appended claims'should be construed as broadly aspermissible. 1 e

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters .atent, is:

'1. In combination with a frame adapted to support a seat, a swingingback having a pivot-member rigidl connected therewith,

" an eccentric frictiona gripping device coacta *5? ing with saidpivot-member, means yieldingwardly from said. lever.

ly holding said eccentric device in looking.

grip engagement with said pivot-member,- I

and means for releasing said eccentric member from gripping engagementwith said pivot-member. p r

2. In combination, achair-frame, aback pivotally mounted on said frameand equipped with gripping-disks extending. be

.neath the plvot-axis, a yoke equipped with gripping-disks eccentricallymounted 8 on pivots carried by said frame, yielding means tending tothrow said eccentrically mounted ripping-disks into engagement with saidrst-named gripping-disks, and .releasing means associated with saidyoke, said releasing means having an actuating member located at oneside of the chair-frame;

3. A chair comprising a frame provided with pivot-supports,a-backequipped with barrel-form pivot-members connected with saidsupports, pivot-studs carried by said frame be ath said pivot-members, ayoke equipped said yoke and tending to swing said yoke th diskseccentrically mounted on said pivot-studs, a spring connected .to

rearwardly and carry said disks into grippingengagem'entrwith saidpivot-members, and a releasing device associated with said I yoke. 4

4. A chair comprising aframe provided with pivot-supports, a ackequippedwith barrel-form" pivot-members connected with said supports,pivot-studs carried by said framebeneathsaid pivotfmemberspa yokeequipped with disks eccentrically mounted rigidly on said pivot-studs, aspring connected to said yoke and tending. to swing said yoke rearwardlyand carry said disks into gripping engagement with said pivot-members,and a releasing device associated with said yoke, said -releasing devicecomprising a lever equipped with means for engaging said yoke, and a rodextending upwardly and forframe provided with pivot-supports, abarrel-form p1vot-members, pivots connecting said 5. A chair comprisinga sprin s mounted on said'pulleys and conack equipped with ivot-membersto said pivot-supports, pul eys mounted on said pivots, coil-' necte atone end to .the pivot-supports andat theother end to said back, a yokeequipped with rigidly connected disks eccentrically mounted on pivotscarried by said frame at points below said ivot-members,\yield1ng meanstending to t row said eccentrically mounted gripping-disks intoengagement with said barrel-form pivot-members, and a releasing deviceassociated with said goke'. CHARLES R. HULTG EN.

